I’ve been searching my brain’s back pages for a few days trying to remember when the Edmonton Oilers had a bigger regular-season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs than tonight’s contest.
There was a game late in the 1979-80 season, Edmonton was pushing for the final playoff spot (and would make it). The HNIC preview is here. It was a wild game, I watched it with my Grandma, she loved Mike Palmateer to bits but hung in for all eight goals against. That was the Stan Weir PS game, Borje Salming covered the puck in the crease. Rats got on the ice delaying the penalty shot, Maple Leaf Gardens was a madhouse and one of the most famous places in Canada in those years.
The goal I remember came from 99 the end of the first period, Ian Turnbull’s coverage soft as you will see in any era. I think he and Mike Palmateer thought the puck would never get in under the 20-minute clock ticking its last tock. Wayne Gretzky knew, and punished the Maple Leafs soundly. Grandma didn’t like the Oilers showing up The Popcorn Kid, Howie Meeker moments away from setting the home team on fire.
My Grandma and Howie taught me more about hockey than anyone. They were both smart and excitable, and that night we sat side by each and watched a game that (unknown to me) would mark the change of an era. I was in Maidstone to visit, taking a break from my Columbia School of Broadcasting courses. I’d find a job in June of 1980 and the next time I’d visit that house I owned a job, a car and the coolest jean jacket I’d ever know. I love everything about that memory. It was a good day.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New DNB: Oilers’ 5-game losing streak highlights 5 glaring issues that need to be fixed
- Lowetide: If the losing continues will the Oilers make a coaching change?
- Lowetide: Oilers prospect Carter Savoie’s comparables, why he wasn’t selected for the world juniors
- Lowetide: Markus Niemelainen winning Oilers recall battle
- DNB: Ethan Bear is rising above and thinking big
- Lowetide: Tyson Barrie’s contract and skill set make his Oilers future uncertain
- Lowetide: Oilers may find inspiration from 1993-94 Detroit Red Wings
- DNB: Several Oilers issues coming to a head
- Jonathan Willis: Which Oilers are on track to make their countries’ 2022 Olympic hockey teams?
- Lowetide: Evan Bouchard’s first full NHL season a learning experience
- Lowetide: Analyzing Cody Ceci’s importance to the Edmonton Oilers and future deployment
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
- DNB: Brendan Perlini subscriber Q&A
- DNB: Oilers turn to Markus Niemelainen
- Lowetide: The Oilers won often in November, but is their roster built to keep winning this way?
- Lowetide: Is the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl even better than we think? A look at his stunning historic comparables
WHAT TO EXPECT IN DECEMBER
- At home to: PIT (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: SEA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- At home to: LAK, MIN, BOS, CAR, TOR, CBJ (Expected 3-3-0) (Actual 0-4-0)
- On the road to: SEA (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: ANA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: LAK, SJS, CAL, STL, NJD (Expected 3-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 8-7-0, 16 points in 15 games
- Actual December results: 1-5-0, 2 points in 6 games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 16-10-0, 32 points in 26 games
The Oilers should be able to win three or four games before the end of the month, but I think 15 points is out of the conversation. If Edmonton finishes 5-4-0, the December record will be 6-9-0, 12 points in 15 games. The season record would be 21-14-0, 42 points in 35 games, on pace for 98 points. Based on the current state of the Pacific division, that should be enough to make the postseaon.
DIZZYING LINE COMBINATIONS
Dobber has a great service that gets you all the different line combinations and their success. Edmonton has like 150 different trios, but only a few have played significant minutes.
I thought of the dobber list when seeing the lines at practice yesterday. The Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian line is No. 9 on the menu, 3-1 goals despite a lower shot share and Corsi five-on-five share.
The second line at yesterday’s practice (Warren Foegele-Nuge-Puljujarvi) has played 10 seconds together at even strength and has a goal! What are the odds of the coach picked that trio out of 257 trios. Lordy.
The third line is one I’ve long contemplated but never thought we’d see even at a practice. Tyler Benson, Ryan McLeod and Kailer Yamamoto have played 25 seconds together, going 0-2 shots. I’d love to see that line, but won’t believe it until all three line up and lose a faceoff.
The pairings at practice yesterday: Nurse-Bouchard (No. 1), Keith-Ceci (No. 2) and Niemelainen-Barrie (No. 7). I think that’s a good set, although Nurse-Ceci (No. 13), Lagesson-Bouchard (No. 10) and Broberg -Ceci (No. 5) are promising.
THERE’S THAT FIRST GOAL AGAIN
Giving up the first goal in a game is damned inconvenient but shouldn’t be a death sentence for the game’s result. The Oilers attention to detail is miserable, and coach Tippett isn’t using the pressbox as punishment. I would, especially with culprits who constantly put the team behind the 8-ball.
Edmonton’s starts have been alarming, I think this is something a young team (and the leaders are still young) has to learn. Wayne Gretzky was 22 when he walked by the NY Islanders dressing room, McDavid is 24 and playing with a less talented support group than 99 enjoyed in 1983.
Because the first goal against is obvious, fans hold on to that thing and say ‘if they could just get that first goal’ but the truth is that the team’s attention to detail is not strong.
I’m old fashioned. I think players are going to need some time in the pressbox to drive home the point, and the coach is not yet there. That should be a concern to you.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, TSN1260, we start with David Alter, who covers the Toronto Maple Leafs for The Hockey News. At 10:40, Tyler Yaremchuk from Oilers Nation and Daily Faceoff will give us his opinion on the way forward in Edmonton. At 11, we bring the fire of Crossfire! (pew! pew!) and later on Matthew Iwanyk will give his take on what to expect tonight. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
I find it hilarious that we have actual evidence of this team having serious problems yet there are moral victories, injury narratives, and “it’s a long season” talk. Yes it’s a long season, injuries happen, and sometimes you lose games you shouldn’t but please observe the last 10 games well. This team has played on the edge of a knife all season. Now that the PP has dried up, this is the result. Funny thing is: this matches the Winnipeg series quite well. Yes, the reffing is horrid, even comical, but there’s little reason at this point to expect this team to win a round. They might not even make it this year.
Being positive despite the evidence is not a virtue. I want things to turn around. I really do. But why would we expect that to happen with this lineup?
Well stated. The depth is thin and flawed.
It takes time to build a winning team. Trying to win the Stanley Cup is a bit like trying to write a dissertation. It cannot be done in one night or even a few months; it often takes several years. There are no short-cuts. What makes winning the Cup so satisfying in the end is all of the effort, individual and collective, over a long period of time, effort put into doing all of the necessary work and taking all the necessary steps.
At this point, we have several draft chapters of the dissertation in place, but they need serious editing. The supervisor is not elated with what has been accomplished. We also need a couple more chapters to be written. None of this can be done overnight. Patience. Hard work. Attention to detail.
Enjoy the process and the glimpses of progress along the way.
But one does not have forever. Eventually the time will run out. One either completes the thing or abandons it, perhaps to start over. The greatest challenge is determining whether or not one needs to continue on the path one has started, or throw out the draft chapters (if they are truly drivel) and start again. Or maybe one needs a new author.
In the case of the Oilers, I do not think the draft chapters need to be discarded, but there is still much work to do. Scrutiny and criticism are necessary, but also mild encouragement for what is good thus far.
Unfortunately using a dissertation requires an intelligent opening statement. The 2000-2022 Oilers have yet to prove that they ever really knew what they are doing.
The last 6 games have seen Oilers go from front runners and possibly even Prez Trophy winners to also rans/bums once more with two of the best players in the world.
Drasiaitl/McDavid have only a handful of contracted years left before they move on to LAK, NYR etc and where does that leave Edmonton?
Fire the freaking coach. Its the only option available. And I’m a Tippett supporter.
Now let’s bring this back to the realm of entertainment. While one’s life work deserves consistent attention to detail within a time management strategy, we as fans don’t have a gun to our head. This team has been at it for some time and has every symptom of thinking this is a top-6 league (for forwards) when in fact many games are decided by the bottom-9. The issue is that the strategy doesn’t change. Every year depth is a defining issue for this team. This particular year it seems to have regressed despite urgency to ‘win now’.
Duncan Keith, Mike Smith, and Zach Hyman getting injured? How is that not predictable? Shore, Turris, Perlini, Ryan can’t piss a drop on the Oilers bottom 6? Once again, that’s quite predictable.
The feedback is screaming at us. I don’t see the purpose of deluded positivity – expecting this to turn around – when there are other forms of entertainment that provide reliable joy. I’d prefer this team to be worth watching but I’m kind of done watching hopeless. So much else in the world seems that way, why choose another for entertainment? During the last 10 games this team has looked quite hopeless. Too many individual efforts, losing way too many battles, constantly thwarted by good positioning by the other team, opposing G playing well (but not spectacular) while ours lets in a gaffe a game, rookie and vet Dmen that can’t make a neutral zone pass + giveaways + caught out of position.
That’s not process. That’s a failure to recognize the feedback that’s been available all along.
Until this team demonstrates improvement, I don’t see any reason to watch another minute of this live. Am I mistaken here?
This team needs an enema.
It needs to be decimated Roman style.
This team needs a less loyal fanbase. Or an exorcist.
Remember when we were upset than Holland locked up Shore for two years?
https://theathletic.com/3017230/2021/12/15/usually-fourth-lines-dont-matter-but-the-oilers-unit-is-killing-them/
My theory is that the Oilers were penny pinching and got burned.
They had room on the 50 man. They have almost no one who can score in Bakersfield, yet they didn’t sign a few more Euros and bottom of the roster players with buryable contracts.
Plus there was Bob Stauffer in the summer who noted that the Oilers liked Keith’s contract because even though the cap hit was high, the actual dollars were low.
Then there’s Turris who should have spent the year in Bakersfield, but they kept him as an extra forward because it was cheaper than paying someone else plus paying him to play in the AHL.
Forgot to add, we all knew Turris was finished and should never see NHL ice again, but Bob Stauffer ran a smoke screen this summer talking about how hard Turris had trained this summer and how he’d be a new player this year.
His boxcars and plus minus march in lock step with last season’s.
Spending to the cap (well above the cap actually). Buying out Neal. Multiple high salary AHL contracts.
Your theory doesn’t ring true.
Let me try again.
So instead of staring an incorrect opinion, argue that Katz couldn’t be spending another $4-$8.9m if he had wanted to.
Then you can throw in the cost of an analytics department…
Sure, Katz could spend more if he wished. He could also buy some yachts. The question was whether cutting costs was the reason for those decisions and I see no evidence of that.
Keith costs more cap than real dollars. Holland and Tippett clearly also value the player.
The Oilers have multiple AHL/NHL veterans in Bakersfield getting paid well on AHL deals. What purpose does signing more tweezers serve? It’s a development league after all.
Because they’re trying to win?
The Oilers are ostensibly in their cup window, no? Read the Willis article.
The Oilers chose to keep Turris around instead of finding a better replacement to save money.
The Oilers could have found a defenceman with a lower cap than Keith and had more room to sign some better depth. In saying what Stauffer did, it sort of translates to they intentionally clogged up the cap and didn’t care because they weren’t going to spend to it anymore.
They could have at least had a few Euros and other depth options around to play instead of Benson, Shore, and Turris.
But they don’t do they?
There’s no evidence these moves were based on saving money.
If Katz really wanted to save money he wouldn’t be paying James Neal $7.6M in real dollars to play for the Blues. He wouldn’t be spending to the cap. He wouldn’t have signed Hyman and Nuge and or signed Nurse to the extension.
Oilers bottom 6 forwards comprised of 9 different skaters
24 combined points after Game #27
Goes down to 20 points if you count Yamamoto a top 6 forward instead of Kassian which you obviously should despite Kailer’s anemic point totals this season. Either we have the worst pro scouting in the entire history of the NHL or it’s the coaching. I’d ship both departments into the sun myself but it’s clear Kenny won’t pull the plug until we’re eliminated from playoff contention. Whether that happens in April or May is really the only question left this year.
The die has been cast.
We’re all reeling at the loss of this season, but there’s too much month left at the end of the money for the duration of 97 29 era.
Holland has somehow made the supporting cast worse than last year and worse than Chiarelli. We’re locked in too.
Why can’t damning facts at least be presented truthfully/accurately?
With Yamamoto the ‘bottom 9’ has 24 points in 27 games. If you count Kassian bottom 6 instead of top the group has 28 points.
Fair enough it was late and i subtracted 4 instead of adding it. Either way it’s abysmal and i want to see some heads roll in pro scouting, the sooner the better.
Another Moral Victory…..its been a great decade for those.
Three forward lines working, results not there but still positive through 2 periods. 29-97 together as per the Tippett playbook and now there are zero lines working but pure stubborn coaching tries to ride a 97-29 line when it was very clearly harming the performance of the team overall. Neimalainen also rides the bench for Barrie’s defensive issues. Absolute horrid coaching performance, poor goalering, and a predictable loss of give-a-shit after the 4th goal.
Foegle is on a rough streak of just not finishing. He looked good with 97 & 13, and the 11-2 shots with that line on the ice warrants another game or more. When Hyman is back, it wouldn’t hurt to keep Foegle in the spot and bump Yamo down to put Hyman with 29 & 93 to try and spark that line. But of course, the inevitable of trailing in a game and it will be back to 97-29. Tippett has done a better job than past head coaches, but it is time for a change. Hopefully his contract isn’t renewed at the end of the season and someone else is available (Nelson!) who won’t have the 29-97 reflex any time the team is trailing.
Bold prediction. Skinner starts the next game.
At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Koskinen so he can “bounce back”.
Or Mike Smith starts next game.
Didn’t tune in till just now, read a few comments, won’t even look up the score, am a bit relieved to not have invested any time or worry this past while. Seen this script for years.
Best of the season (otherwise) y’all!!!!
All the best to you and yours this holiday season.
The thing about skipping the bad times is that you miss some great moments, the kind that make watching sports worthwhile.
And there have been some wonderful, exciting games this season. That Rangers game was a lot of fun to watch.
Once the Dog Days of December pass, all will be well again.
Hey Melvis, we’ll be thinking about you on the 16th.
(not sure when you’ll log on between now and then)
all the best
Kenny HAS to prioritize getting a goalie after this home stand. Other Goalie was better than ours in every game.
Save us Mike Smith!!
Paging Ryan Spooner!
Yet another disgraceful ass pounding.
At least everyone was watching this time
Well as one of the more Optimistic supporters, I cannot pretend I am not worried.
Devin Shore managed a -3 in 8 mins of ice
At least the Leafs didn’t score when he was in the box for an O-zone penalty.
He doesn’t check well, but at least he is a threat in the offensive zone.
He has 6 shots this season 🥸
2020- 35% CF; -15% CFrel
2021- 42%CF; -13%CFrel
Kenny doesnt like Analytics. Shore must pass the eye test cause he is fast.
How about we stop playing the black holes on the team?
Just bring up Condors to fill Ryan’s spot and to fill Shore’s spot.
Who else is in a serious deficit?
To the moon, Alice!
I’m with Randle. Winning streak starts Thursday, lol.
I’m all for enlarging the net. Anything to take the game results a little more out of the goalies hands. At least to march it towards equal proportions with the other skaters.
Another game where neither McDavid or Draisaitl get a point. That used to be a very rare thing to behold. I think this is the third or forth one this year… in only the 27th game…
also, when was the last time the oilers lost every game on an homestand of four or more games?
Gsaa is the stat that says a whole lot about the difference between Toronto and Edmonton.
About 20 goals difference.
Tucker Poolman pulled out after 1st period. C-Protocol
Jersey toss …
Sucks being right about sucky things.
I too, think it’s sucks being right. I fortold the oilers being “lucky to be in a playoff spot by Christmas” after the Keith injury.
too many injuries to the defence in a such a short time frame messed up this teams rhythm. Those players are back now, but damage has been done.
This game will end Koskinens chance of being the starter for the rest of the year. This is not necessarily a good thing given his replacements.
Oilers getting stomped…time to go watch the Abbey Road Beatles Zebra crossing webcam. More exciting lol
Could see that one coming
That man can shoot.
well there is a succinct dissection of the 4 th goal, back pressure stops as he crosses blue line, neither D man touched Nylander
KH also locked up Nurse; who will be the 3rd highest paid Dman in the league nxt season.
And not even a top 10 D in the league.
A huge unforced error.
Top 20? ….
Yeah..maybe but there is a boatload of young D coming who will pass him like a house of the side of the road.
I was totally on the “don’t pay Nurse anything above $8M” boat. Obviously other teams gross negligence of overpaying lesser (or over-rated) dmen ki-botched that.
It wasn’t a “terrible goal” on Mikko but he needs to make the save – the goalie at the other end has been making those saves all game long.
I’m glad Keith and Ceci were both back to do absolutely nothing on that Nylander centring pass along the ice.
Loading up the Top line has been working well 😎
Sorry to say, McD got back to do absolutely nothing
Lol
In 30 months KH has locked up these players for more than 1 year:
– SHORE
-TURRIS
-KASSIAN
-KOEKKECK
– RYAN
Three of them can go to the AHL will zero cap implication (I think Ryan may cost $50K on the cap) and the Oilers are at 43 contracts.
Those three deals have zero effect on roster improvement.
The goal isnt to sign bad players to contracts that can be buried or bought out
That list is an indictment of an NHL GM if I ever saw one.
Omg. I mean BOOM!!!
I forgot what to do. It’s been awhile…
That is a fourth Line goal. Let the floodgates open. Lol
Definitely the 3rd line tonight.
Wrong floodgates. Need a save there.
A 3rd line goal.
Bouchard high-sticked in front of the ref – no call.
Nhl players shouldn’t hit the goalie in the crest from there.
Expected goals after two period were apx 63% Oilers – my goodness.
Turned the game on at the start. Oilers have this hellish way to open every game by allowing the opposition deep into their end then breakout with some rush hoping for a quick goal that was coming earlier in the season. Now they go through the motions.
As Howie Meeker used to say: “You can’t fire the players”…
Geez, noone can bury – tons of great looks, tons.
They’re playing like the Tip Yotes from several years ago. Lots of grit and try but little finishing talent beyond 29 and 97 who are slumping.
After Two:
3-0 Toronto, two goals in the second
27-19 Edmonton shots, 15-7 in the second
34-21 Edmonton Corsi five-on-five, 20-6 edmonton in the second
==
All you can do is laugh, people. Or cry. This isn’t fair.
Or admire the skill of the Leafs.
Admire the team that just won a game the Oilers were critisized for winning back in October and early November.
MacT advocating for greasy goals, needs …..shots……and traffic.
CRASH THE NET! CRASH THE NET!
Keith is playing? But down 3, woof. Is it worth tuning in?
On the bright side — there’s no cap space!
Two words: Kassian buyout!
This made me LOL
Save On Foods insurance provider is making easy money
Tonight puts the off-season moves into focus. I don’t care about a 3-0 game and have seen far worse as an Oiler fan, but they haven’t cared about process for a decade plus.
Katz et al don’t care about your time, but they will happily take your money.
Sure the Leafs haven’t won, but they care about process and it shows.
Wake me up when the dummies running this club are gone.
Please drop the “they’re outplaying them but…” stuff.
It’s both inaccurate and irrelevant. This team is playing slow, sloppy, uncommitted hockey and they’re paying for it. There are also zero adjustments being made – which is the thing that should really be condemned.
Their offensive zone pressure through two periods was anything but slow or uncommitted. Come on man, that is a narrative comment for sure.
I’ve seen this movie before and know exactly what I’m watching.
Whether you want to admit that to yourself or not is up to you. Doesn’t both me either way – just hoping to save others some grief.
What you saw could be described as many things but certainly not slow (or uncommitted).
It’s amazing, really, watching the Oilers right now. Try as they might, and they have been really working hard for the last three game, they cannot catch a break. Every mistake they make ends up in the net. Missing wide open nets. Hitting bars. Whiffing shots from good spots.
Bananas.
Keep grinding. Keep hitting. Keep getting pucks on net. This can’t possibly last…can it?
This team has too many “snake-bit” players.
something something something in the water…
something something lost the room…
Speechless. At least I didn’t pay $300 a seat live. And just like that, gonna watch another episode of Friends with the wife so I’m out. Enjoy the rest of this embarrassment